Although fruit is vital to a healthy, balanced diet and very good for you, it is important to remember that fruit is a form of carbohydrate (sugar). Moreover, most fruits are high glycemic index carbs, which means they deliver a lot of sugar into your bloodstream very quickly. This can be a problem when you are trying to lose weight (or more specifically, body fat). Here’s what’s happening in your body:
Eating fruit leads to a spike in blood sugar levels. The brain will then tell the pancreas to pump insulin in the blood. Insulin is a hormone that converts blood sugar into fat for storage in the body. So, may fruits can have the same effect as refined sugar foods in that they can stimulate fat deposition,
That does not mean you should cut fruit from your diet. It means you should be smart about how and when you eat fruit. Here’s a few things you can do to get the most nutritional bang from fruit in your diet without padding your waistline.
Beware of smoothies – that’s a lot of fruit sugar in one serving. Make your smoothies work for you by using less fruit and adding some almond milk and a scoop of protein powder.
Eat smaller servings of fruit. Instead of a whole apple, orange or banana, eat half.
Always have protein and/or fat with your fruit. Protein will stimulate the pancreas to release glucagon into the blood. The glucagon will inhibit insulin turning the blood sugar into fat. So with your apple or banana have some almond or peanut butter. Or have a handful of walnuts with your orange or peach.
The way you can turn fruit to your weight-loss benefit is to always eat it with a serving of protein. When you combine fruit sugar and protein, not only is the insulin response blunted but the sugar in the blood will help the muscles absorb the amino acids that the protein has delivered into the blood. So you will prevent the creation of fat and promote muscle growth when you have protein with your fruit. That is why we recommend a protein shake and a serving of fruit within an hour after your workout. This is the optimal time to build muscle and burn fat.
So, by all means, keep the fruit in your diet. Just remember to include protein when you do and watch your serving sizes. Eat what you need, not what you crave.
Let me know if you have any questions.